DRAKKAR: Multi-scale Ocean modelling project

Coordination of high resolution global ocean simulations and developments of the NEMO modelling framework.

DRAKKAR is a scientific and technical coordination between French research teams (LEGI-Grenoble, LPO-Brest, LOCEAN-Paris), MERCATOR-ocean, NOC Southampton, IFM-Geomar Kiel, and other teams in Europe and Canada. We propose to design, carry out, assess, and distribute high-resolution global ocean/sea-ice numerical simulations based on the NEMO platform (www.nemo-ocean.eu) performed over long periods (five decades or more), and to improve and maintain a hierarchy of state-of-the-art ocean/sea-ice model configurations for operational and research applications. This effort is motivated by the need for better numerical simulations of the ocean state and variability over the past decades, in order to address e.g. the following issues: what are the mechanisms that drive the interannual to decadal oceanic variability? what are the relationships between the variabilities of water masses and the circulation? what is the impact of boundary currents, eddies and small scale processes on the large scale circulation and its variability? By exploring global models at increasing resolution, DRAKKAR prepares the ocean components for future Earth system models. DRAKKAR maintains the ORCA025 (1/4° global) configuration and develops the ORCA12 (1/12° global) configuration. Reference simulation hindcasts over the last 40-50 years are made available to users. A number of research projects make use of the AGRIF grid refinement package ( http://www-ljk.imag.fr/MOISE/AGRIF/ )